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Free Will In Sophocles Oedipus The King

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Many define free will as the ability to act at one’s own discretion, whereas they define fate as the development of events beyond one’s control. Although these two concepts have completely different meanings, they often work together during the events of one’s life. In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, free will and fate play very important roles in the outcome of Oedipus’ life. He is constantly tormented by the fortune that has been told to him and makes numerous decisions in order to avoid it. Oedipus is predestined to his fate, however the choices he makes after he fulfills his destiny are of his own free will and eventually cause his downfall.

The majority of the time fate was leading the outcome of Oedipus’ life, was when the events of
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